Tobacco Control 2002;11:9–13 Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.11.1.9-a on 1 March 2002. Downloaded from Newsanalysis......

BAT: caught out still in a “pilot” stage, insisted that change for two reasons. One was “a cigarettes were sold legally in these need for clarity” and the other reason again establishments and pointed out that was “the evolution of Philip Morris Caught red-handed in January last the “average” age of night clubbers Companies Inc”. year developing its anonymous City was 18, without apparently under- PM’s internal documents, however, Gorilla website promoting the most standing that as some were clearly reveal very different reasons for the “happening, cool nightclubs in town” quite a few years older, a similar company seeking to change its name. (as the youthful target audience might number must therefore be younger A corporate marketing strategy docu- put it), which just happen to be stuffed than 18, the youngest age at which ment written for PM in December with British American Tobacco (BAT) children, according to tobacco indus- 1993 by an “identity consultant”, as cigarette brands (Tobacco Control try rhetoric, may first “choose” part of PM’s “Identity Development 2001;10:92), the British based trans- whether or not to start. Program”, shows that PM was at- national tobacco company has been Interestingly, the magic 18 is a sub- tempting to escape the stigma of found out again. Once more the stantial seven years less than the selling tobacco products by attempting promotional tool it was secretly devel- youngest age for advertising models to “re-position” its image in consum- oping is a website that looks like an that BAT sets for itself in the ill fated ers’ minds. independent guide to bars and night- self regulatory code it has proposed The document concludes that the clubs in European cities. together with Philip Morris and Japan key to escaping the damaging associ- A previously confidential internal Tobacco, in an effort to head off an ation with tobacco is changing the memorandum revealed that www.city- effective WHO Framework Convention name of the company. Among the gobo.com was set up by BAT to on TobaccoControl. But perhaps that is problems caused by PM’s close identifi- encourage people to attend venues to ensure that 18 year olds still have cation with cigarettes were the follow- where it sells and promotes cigarettes. role models significantly older than ing: “As awareness of tobacco issues The Citygobo domain was registered themselves, on the principle that the increase, Philip Morris increasingly last July by CG Ventures, which has coolest fashions to impressionable reacts/defends.” “As ‘tobacco’ image of the same address as BAT’s London young minds are those espoused by Philip Morris increases, market value of headquarters. BAT, which is spending people a few years up the age ladder. Philip Morris decreases.” Australian around US$3.6 million to make the On the same principle, it is fairly research conducted for PM by the site the main source for information obvious that if, like the CityGobo web- Wirthlin Group paints a similar picture, http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ on fashionable bars and restaurants, site, you make something cool for an with tobacco companies rated lowest on denied that it was a marketing tool for 18 year old, it becomes cool for “truthfulness and credibility”. cigarettes, saying it wanted to create younger children, too. Internal tobacco Interestingly, the first target audi- “the best web-based nightlife guide to industry documents show that tobacco ence listed for this corporate reposi- strengthen our relationships with the companies have long used this tech- tioning is employees, suggesting that nique to attract very young smokers. venues”. (On learning about the PM’s employee morale suffers from the As restrictions progressively reduce scheme, the Action on Smoking and shame of working for PM, a comment opportunities for overtly linking ciga- Health (ASH) team on the other side echoed by an Australian recruitment rettes with things that young people of London immediately set up company executive interviewed by the think are most cool and “happening”, www.citygobo2.com to reveal the Financial Review: “I don’t think there’s rather than with foul breath, skin age- truth about the BAT project to web- any doubt that it’s harder to get ing, miserable disability, and prema- surfing teenagers.) enthusiasm for tobacco companies. on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. ture death, we shall see many more Tobacco control advocates believe There is a trend. If you have 10 tricks like this in the future. young people visiting the bars will be qualified candidates and you tell them subjected to heavy marketing for BAT’s it’s a tobacco company, five might say “coolest” brand, Lucky Strike. “It is The wolf changes its they don’t want the job.” interesting that the first cities featured Mr Bible’s press release says the pro- are in Belgium and Poland,” said Luk sheepskin posal to change the company’s identity Joossens, senior consultant to the Last November, Philip Morris (PM) “ . . .comes two years after a successful European Union on anti-cancer initia- announced that it was going to ask its effort to improve the image of the tives. “These are countries where an shareholders’ approval to change the Philip Morris family of companies. advertising ban is in place, but oppor- company’s name to the Altria Group, Research indicates that the companies tunities for point of sale promotions Inc. PM is the world’s 48th largest eco- are viewed as changing for the better still exist. Trendy bars are the only nomic entity with a market capitalisa- and becoming a more responsible place where you can target this audi- tion value of $105 billion, placing it ence.” BAT, which said the website was ahead of the value of all stock com- bined in nations such as Greece, Ireland, and Chile. The company pro- All articles written by David Simpson unless duces Miller beer, Kraft, and other well otherwise attributed. Ideas and items for known food products in addition to its News Analysis should be sent to David Simp- cigarettes mainstay. Chairman and son at the address given on the inside front cover. chief executive officer, Australian born Geoffrey C Bible, said he proposed the The logo for the new name of Philip Morris.

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widely associated with lung cancer smoking, and timid about trying it, Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.11.1.9-a on 1 March 2002. Downloaded from than lung cancer itself was too entic- and at some level almost all smokers ing to pass up ...Foratime, patients are deeply afraid of the consequences will have to get used to hearing ‘We of their habit, and about continuing to suspect you have Philip Morris’ in- ignore the overwhelming medical, eco- stead of ‘We suspect you have lung nomic, and social pressures to quit. cancer’. But in terms of comprehen- One obvious way for tobacco compa- sion, I think they will instantly under- nies to address such fears is to link stand what they’re being told.” An smoking with bravery, a concept that ersatz poster has the following cap- must have been discussed between the tion: “I don’t worry about getting tobacco industry and government Philip Morris. I’m too young, right?” health officials in several countries, as it has been specifically proscribed in SIMON CHAPMAN, with contributions some of the discredited “voluntary from ANNE LANDMAN, agreements” signed by numerous fool- STAN SHATENSTEIN, BERT HIRSCHORN, ish or naive governments in the past. and STEVE HAMMAN In the UK, for example, the agree- ment regulating print and billboard India: BAT’s bravery tobacco advertising in the 1980s stated that advertisements should not sug- award gest that smoking was “a manifesta- As we know, one of the basic principles tion of courage or daring”. Of course, An ersatz poster spoofing the name change of Philip Morris. of tobacco promotion is to address the the whole point about these schemes subconscious fears of the target audi- is that the tobacco companies only ence: smokers, and potential “start- agree to what they know they can eas- corporate citizen, among other indica- ers”, as tobacco companies so cynically ily circumvent by other means; thus tors of favourable public opinion.” refer to our children. Some of these Mr Aleardo Buzzi, the PM executive My public health colleagues are fears are rather banal—for example, responsible for Marlboro’s Formula 1 intrigued with the new name, some that our breath, hair and clothes will motor racing operations, told an adver- suggesting it is an anagram of “A smell bad if we smoke—and can be tising journal in 1983: “What we Trial”. What we have here is a nomen addressed by the association of ciga- wanted was to promote a particular nudum, a name without a proper rettes with concepts diametrically op- image of adventure, of courage, of description. Altria is a faux Latin word posite on any scale of values, such as virility.” that echoes “altus”, meaning height. fresh mountain air and fragrant, beau- In South Africa, Rembrandt, now The New Shorter Oxford English Dic- tiful models. Other fears, of course, are subsumed into BAT, used a surf rescue http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ tionary offers a closer sound match: about the much more serious health helicopter with a huge assortment of altricial, from Latin and French, mean- problems caused by smoking, hence ground backup vehicles, all plastered ing to nourish, refers to a class of birds the value to tobacco manufacturers of with its John Rolfe cigarette brand helpless at birth, and too young to for- associating smoking with sports and identifiers, to capture the attention of age for themselves—quite apposite other tough, physical activities at child-rich crowds at seaside holiday when the company’s internal docu- which only fit and healthy people can resorts, until it was grounded by the ments about its potential customers as excel. country’s new tobacco control legisla- young as 12 are considered. PM has But how else can we be reassured tion (Tobacco Control 1998;7:9 and used the rather military veni, vidi, vici about well founded fear? Most non- 1999;8:363–4). Earlier, Rothmans had as part of its company symbol for smokers are fearful about the risks of used a similar device in New Zealand years. I came, I saw, I conquered is on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. probably a good description of their intentions, although venenum in auro bibitur (poison drunk from a golden cup) or graviora manent (the worst is yet to come) could be considered in the new-found clean spirit. The key to the proposed switch may derive from the way the new name will be pronounced. If it’s to be a US south- ern accented Altria—“I’ll try a . . .”— then stand by for “I’ll try a Marlboro” (or an Alpine, or a Kraft cheese sandwich). The Satire.com website had a field day with the name change: “Just days after Philip Morris declared it will change its name to the Altria Group, lung cancer today announced it will change its name to Philip Morris. According to lung cancer officials, the chance to snap up a brand that is more Red and White cigarette ads disguised as advertisements for a national bravery award.

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for its Winfield brand. Both rescue Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.11.1.9-a on 1 March 2002. Downloaded from helicopters exploited a perfect blend of bravery, life saving, and excitement, achieving three major tobacco adver- tising deceptions simultaneously. For the last decade in India, PM’s Red and White cigarette brand has pulled no punches in an audacious, all bravery promotional scheme. Red and White cigarette ads disguised as adver- tisements for a national bravery award last year boasted that since 1990, the The Miss Niger beauty contest is also awards scheme “has honoured the sponsored by Fine. true heroes of society. Ordinary citi- zens who have performed extraordi- of young people and gained extensive nary deeds of physical courage and television and newspaper coverage. supreme selflessness.”They went on to Attractive young women distributed say that past winners included “sav- Fine cigarettes, T shirts, caps and bags. iours of people’s lives and property. Fine also sponsors a biennial inter- And organisations battling social evils national festival of African fashion. such as dowry, child marriage and Fine’s sister brand Excellence sponsors environmental pollution.” The ads Capitalising on Letka (The Flock), a highly the National Youth Festival, a cultural ended with an appeal for nominations successful 1960s film mixing cartoon and and sports event attended by more (with a coy implication that people human characters that is still remembered by than 3000 young people, and tra- might consider nominating them- Czech movie goers, the slogan on this Czech ditional wresting, the most popular tobacco ad says: “The legend returns!”. The selves) in two categories: physical brand is made by the Czech company sport in Niger, which is covered live on bravery, and social acts of courage. Tabak. Any detailed interpretation of the ad’s television. Even the courtyard of Prizes ranged from a bronze medal imagery may best be left to practitioners of Niger’s parliament carries a Sitab plus around US$100 to a gold medal the psychoanalytic traditions for which cigarette brand advertisement. middle Europe is famous. and US$300. It is not hard to envisage the odds To complete the association of the stacked against any politician or gov- brand with bravery, PM ensures that ing them. In Niger, as in other French ernment official who might try to ban publicity for the programme positions speaking west African countries, the tobacco promotion in Niger: just imag- the brand and the company as brave, dominant tobacco company since colo- ine finding yourself accidentally too, by championing some of the most nial times has been Seita, the former dropped into the ring at the Fine http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ controversial and stubbornly tenacious French tobacco monopoly now merged national wrestling contest. remnants of India’s ancient culture. into Altadis along with its Spanish Dowry payments made by parents counterpart Tabacalera. under contracts for the marriage of Last year’s Miss Niger beauty con- Thailand: trying to their daughters have long plunged test demonstrates how the new, swing it on the golf some of the very poorest families into smaller tobacco companies can give apparently impossible, never ending the big boys a run for their money course debt or servitude. Some arch tradition- when it comes to saturation brand Even in countries with the strongest alists and small time money lenders coverage in the youth market. The tobacco control laws, tobacco compa- must resist the idea of ending the sys- contest was sponsored by Fine ciga- nies will always explore whether they tem as vehemently as PM resists an rettes, manufactured by Seita/Altadis can get away with breaking or getting on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. end to tobacco promotion. and distributed by Sitab Niger. The round them. So it was that last October Yet this is consistent with PM’s care- wife of Niger’s President attended, Thai health workers were informed ful casting of itself as the good guy in together with the tourism minister that a large group of sportsmen from similar social struggles all over the and, significantly for this highly fash- Malaysia were participating in a golf world—for example, as benefactor to ion and music conscious nation, a tournament sponsored by Japan To- groups fighting hunger and poverty, clutch of famous clothes designers and bacco’s Mild Seven cigarette brand, HIV,and the deprivation of minorities. musicians. The event attracted droves and that in breach of Thailand’s strict Surely its public relations team must tobacco ad ban, a substantial amount already be drafting plans to sponsor of promotional material had been set women’s emancipation programmes up at the Royal Gems golf course out- in post-war Afghanistan? side Bangkok. Banners were in place at the course, in front of the lodge, in the Niger: beauty and dining area and elsewhere, all pro- claiming the tournament as “All Golf- the beast ers’ Mild Seven Astro Masters” (Astro While much attention is given, deserv- was another sponsor), together with edly, to the expansionist tactics in the the sponsors’ logos. developing world of the big three By the time health officials reached tobacco transnationals—Philip, BAT, Traditional wrestling, the most popular sport the course next morning, however, and Japan Tobacco—several smaller in Niger, is sponsored by Fine cigarettes, pieces of paper had been pasted over tobacco companies are busily emulat- which are manufactured by Seita/Altadis. the banners to obliterate the name and

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A banner at a Bangkok golf tournament, with the name and logo of Mild Seven covered over. logo of Mild Seven, the main sponsor. While unable to prosecute the organis- ers, the officials had the satisfaction of knowing that Japan Tobacco may have learned how serious Thailand is about enforcing its law. New ad code cosmetic: official This picture from a newspaper in Mauritius offers a classic illustration of highly focused efforts It’s particularly disappointing when to buy favour from a developing country government, presumably to reduce any risk of effective tobacco control action. BAT recently awarded educational bursaries to these 10 your traditional friends and admirers students from economically deprived areas. drop you in it, In fairness, however, a Wall Street analyst cannot have in- tended her memo about BAT’s business the international marketing stand- “Censored by a cigarette”. The 16 prospects last year to be made public, ards; and that Credit Suisse believed songs (our headline is borrowed from but only to reassure stockholders. The the “modest amount the multination- the subtitle of one of them) are analyst wrote that the new inter- als actually spend on these types of performed by Emurian, accompanied national marketing standards an- practices will be redirected into other by friends young and old. They are http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ nounced with much fanfare by BAT, types of marketing promotions [such pitched at ages ranging from infants to Philip Morris, and Japan Tobacco were as] point of sale activity.” adults, many of them to classic tunes unlikely to affect the companies’ profit- that will be well known around the ability. In other words, the analyst USA: 30 things to do world. Those most likely to appeal to rated then, in health terms,... worth- teenagers combine irreverent and sub- less. with a dead Camel versive children’s humour (Pop! Goes In words eerily reminiscent of a US Teachers, youth leaders, and health the Air Sac and My Name is Flem give you Tobacco Institute document of 1983 educators wondering how to get some the general idea) with a more sophisti- which reassured readers that BAT’s US of the more subtle messages about the cated explanation of some of the subsidiary Brown & Williamson “will tobacco conspiracy across to teenagers tobacco companies’ most devious not support a youth smoking program strategies. So while A New Wrinkle may find help in Wisconsin singer- on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. which discourages young people from songwriter Dan Emurian’s latest CD ostensibly deals with smoking’s effects smoking”, the Wall Street analyst on the skin, it also explains how dismissed the new code at a stroke. “Tobacco companies promise to lay “We have analyzed the 9-page agree- education on us/ Like a fox holding ment and believe that the multination- school for the chickens/ ‘Don’t come als’ strategy is proactive and is a way to into my den until you’re older, but improve their image,” wrote Ms Bon- then?/ It’s the grownup thing to do.’ nie Herzog of Credit Suisse First The plot thickens.” Further infor- Boston Equity. “Also, by proactively mation from www.PianosNSongs- setting new international standards,” .com; or from Eumurian at Come Thru the briefing continued, “the multina- Music Co, BMI, 1634 Barlow St, La tionals could be trying to counter a Crosse, WI, USA. number of proposals that the WHO has been working on to curb the amount of cigarettes that are con- Uganda: health sumed on an international level.” comes in from the The refreshingly realistic and un- stuffy analysis, which might have been sidelines written specially for this column, Cover of a CD entitled “Censored by a Health advocates in Uganda were cigarette”, containing songs directed at added that in many countries existing teenagers warning them of the devious justly proud when the first anti- laws are stricter than the provisions of strategies employed by tobacco companies. tobacco billboard at a sports ground in

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to ensure that even if they lose the Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.11.1.9-a on 1 March 2002. Downloaded from right to use significant sectors of the advertising media, they can still ad- dress potential customers by mail. This is particularly useful for reaching groups with popular interests and high levels of disposable income, such as younger men, often single and without responsibilities—or “lads”’, as many advertisers call them. One of our least laddish, more cuddly informants (Deep Whisker, a The first anti-tobacco billboard at a sports ground in East Africa was unveiled at the cat whose owner in the American Kampala Rugby Football Club in Uganda last south shares his pet’s interest in year. tobacco promotion) last year received a number of revealing mail shots clearly aimed at this market by BAT’s US sub- East Africa was unveiled at the Kam- sidiary Brown & Williamson (B&W). pala Rugby Football Club last year. It First into the cat-basket came Real resulted from a Ush2 000 000 Edge, a publication so unashamedly (US$1250) sponsorship package for One World magazine mail shot, targeted at laddish that B&W has this to say about the Kobs Rugby Football Club put African Americans and other ethnic it inside the cover: “Real Edge is edited minorities, with a special wrapper promoting together by The Environmental Action for adults, with adventure and enter- Kool cigarettes, plus five pages of B&W Network (TEAN), a group of young advertisements. tainment at its core. Filled with sports Ugandan lawyers, and Kampala’s Bon cars, women, aircraft, high-tech elec- Appetit Restaurant. A particularly tronics, strange places and events and mailing list with a special wrapper pleasing irony is that the same bill- even stranger people, Real Edge is promoting Kool cigarettes. This invited board was previously used by BAT for focussed on one thing: having a good Deep Whisker to “Unwrap Something Embassy cigarette ads. Kobs is a lead- time ...Itispublished for adult men.” Authentic” (a good word for address- ing rugby team that draws its players The mag did not let belie its publisher’s ing minorities, that), and to “Enjoy from secondary schools, and the spon- claims, being filled with all the bare One World on the House”. Other mail sorship package stipulates that the flesh, sports pictures, and toys for boys shots have arrived from the list, too, players will wear No Smoking logos on that any cat could wish for, plus including a Kool brand promotion the leg of their shorts, and will sign a copious promotion for B&W cigarette linked to a music tour, with cards for no smoking pledge to keep their game http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ brands. getting friends added to the mailing smoke-free. There are also plans to Next through the catflap came One list, and special offer coupons for buy- play recordings of health warnings World, an independent publication ing cigarettes. against tobacco during Kobs games. aimed at African Americans and other Doubtless we can expect more of BAT has long been a major sponsor ethnic minorities (our informant’s this the world over, until such time as of sports in Uganda (Tobacco Control breed and fur-type are not known), in the deliberate association of positive, 2000;9:129–30), but the Kobs bill- which B&W had bought a generous attractive images with the most dan- board reflects the increasing strength five full pages of advertising space, gerous consumer product the world of the local anti-tobacco lobby, which topping off a bulk purchase for its has ever known is treated with the is drawn from the medical, legal, seriousness it merits. sporting, media, and other sectors. In May 2000, a three year campaign resulted in BAT withdrawing its 10 on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. year sponsorship of the Sportsman of the Year Gala of the Ugandan Sports Press Association (Tobacco Control 2000;9:269–70). USA: talking to the lads A clearer image is emerging about the likely trends in tobacco promotion over the next few years in countries where tobacco control measures or social pressure make life increasingly diffi- cult for tobacco companies. “Permis- sion marketing”, in which tobacco manufacturers gather the names, ad- dresses, and lifestyle details and pref- erences of consumers who claim to be Cover of a recent edition of Real Edge,a The back cover of the Real Edge magazine smokers, is growing fast as the compa- “lad’s” magazine mail shot financed by naturally carried a full page ad for the Kool nies try to build up massive databases BAT’s US subsidiary Brown & Williamson. B&W brand of cigarette.

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